Ingomar Club fires events coordinator

Jennifer "Jenny" Partsafas, the woman at the center of the sexual harassment lawsuit against Eureka's Ingomar Club, was fired by the club last week, her attorney said Monday.

Partsafas, who alleges she was sexually harassed by a fellow employee of the club, served as the events coordinator for the Ingomar since 2003. Last Thursday, she was ordered to appear before the Executive Committee of the club and General Manager Paul McNally, her attorney Zach Zwerdling said in an interview with the Times-Standard.

Partsafas was fired the same day.

The case, which initially was scheduled for a status hearing in July, was put on hold Monday when the club's attorney Catherine Manske filed another demurrer in the case. Zwerdling said he was working on an amended complaint in response to the demurrer, which will include additional claims of wrongful termination.

"Typically in situations like this people get a second chance," Zwerdling said, adding that the news came as a shock to Partsafas, who was expecting to get a new assignment when she met with the committee and McNally last week. News of her termination was then sent out to members of the club via email, Zwerdling said.

"It was not done in a respectful manner," he said. "There was no valid reason to fire her. Needless to say this has been devastating to my client, and has taken a toll on her well being."

Phone messages left with McNally and Manske were not returned by the Times-Standard's deadline. Zwerdling, meanwhile, has until May 11 to file his amended complaint in the case, and was optimistic that the case would get to a Humboldt County jury before the end of the year.